Thoughts
by kakomaan
Summary: She used to take him out into the field, and run around, laughing. And when she grew tired, she would sit on the ground, and sketch him as he jumped for the butterflies that sailed over his head."
1. Chapter 1

_Thump. Thump._

Each heart beat brought her closer to death.

_Thump. Thump._

She didn't know how she ended up in this position.

_Thump. Thump._

Casting her mind back to what had happened, all she could remember was flashing silver and a large amount of pain.

_Thump. Thump._

She didn't feel any pain now, but that just meant that she was standing on Death's door step.

_Thump. Thump._

She had remembered when her dog had died. Lucky had been her favorite companion; her only companion. She used to take him out into the field and run around with him, laughing and playing. And when she grew tired, she would sit on the ground and sketch Lucky as he jumped for the butterflies that sailed over his head.

_Thump. Thump._

He was killed by the car that Gulch drove. To this day, she hasn't forgiven him. Seeing as she was dying, she knew that she never would.

_Thump. Thump._

Moving away from the thoughts of her beloved dog, she drifted for a few minutes, content to think of nothing at all.

_Thump. Thump._

Unbidden, the thought of the OZ rose into her mind. She could recall with vivid clarity the first day she spent there after her fifteen annual absence; would could forget meeting a man with a zipper in his head, or a guy who lived for however many annuals in a tin suit, or a furry guy who had the ability to heal, among the many other things that had happened in that hectic first day?

_Thump. Thump._

It didn't matter now, seeing as she was pretty much dead. She was surprised her mind wasn't spazing out over the fact that it would cease to exist in the extremely near future. If she was in full possession of her faculties, she would probably be having a major meltdown.

_Thump. Thump._

She considered that, and if she could have shaken her head, she would have. She handled all of the other things thrown at her these past few annuals, what's death?

_Thump. Thump._

She would miss the people, though. Reconnecting with her parents was hard, but worth it in the end. They were actually not as strict as she thought they were going to be. And having a sister was pretty cool, she had to admit, once they both got past the guilt that plagued both of them.

_Thump. Thump._

She would especially miss her friends. Glitch, with his intelligent remarks and his glitchy attitude. Raw, with his gentle presence and soothing voice. Jeb, with his wicked sense of humor and casual personality that came out when he wasn't on guard duty. Cain…

_Thump. Thump._

Wyatt Cain would kill her if he found out that she had gone and gotten herself killed. But he left a cycle ago, decided to do…something or another…once she found out he was leaving, she tuned everything out and plastered a smile across her face. She lied her ass off, essentially, when he asked her if she was ok with him leaving. Who was she to deny Cain the option of leaving? She had trapped him here in the first place.

_Thump. Thump._

"Dg!"

She could hear his voice now, in her head. Figures she was going to die with him as the last thing on her mind.

_Thump. Thump._

"Dg!"

God can't they just let her die in peace? Stupid voices in her head won't cut her a break.

"Dg! Come on sweetheart, I need you to open your eyes for me!"

Confused now, feeling weaker by the second, she tried to remember why she was dieing.

_Thump. Thump._

"She's not opening her eyes!"

_Thump. Thump._

"Raw! Somebody get Raw!'

_Thump. Thump._

"DG! DG!"

_Thump._


	2. Breaths

AN: Thanks to those of you who reviewed, you spurred me to continue this.

_In and out._

Each breath felt like he was taking in water.

_In and out._

Having almost drowned several times, he could honestly say that it was an experience he never wanted to repeat. The feeling of not having enough oxygen was terrifying.

_In and out._

His mind scrambled for purchase on the rocky slope of terror and despair.

_In and out._

He was only gone for a cycle, but she had gone and gotten herself into trouble. It seemed as though every time he left her alone she got into trouble.

_In and out._

His breaths were coming as sharp gasps now; his hands were quickly becoming scarlet.

_In and out._

His voice, hoarse and cracking, had given up on him, leaving him to mouth silently to her and shake his head.

_In and out._

He felt other hands on his shoulder, trying to pull him away, but he merely shrugged them off.

_In and out._

Her face was too pale now, much paler than it normally was. It scared him.

_In and out._

The thumps of her heartbeat beneath his palm was slightly reassuring, letting him know that she was still fighting. If she died…

_In._

If she died…his brain refused to even consider what may be a truth in a few minutes.

_Out._

He had to keep her alive. Clearing his throat, blinking back tears, he hunched over her body and placed his forehead on hers.

"Dg. Please. Open you eyes for me."

Her heart stopped.

_In._

He could no longer feel the steady thumps that told him she was still fighting.

Raw burst into the room, but he wasn't fully aware of it, only hearing the sound of the door on the stone wall.

People were grabbing him by the shoulders; pulling him away from Dg.

He fought them, struggling to return to Dg's side.

"DG! Let me go! DG!"

Calling to her; praying to a God that he had lost faith in the day he was shoved into a metal suit those many annuals ago; cursing those who held him.

Beads of sweat forming along Raw's brow.

An anguished moan rose through his throat as the minutes stretched past.

And then…

Subtle, yet noticeable, a rising of the chest.

He shoved away from those who restrained him and landed with a harsh thump on his knees by her side.

"Dg?"

Slowly, ever so slowly, one blue eye opened, and focused on his face.

_Out._


	3. An End

AN: It's alive! It's alive! So obviously it's been a while, but I've decided to give this some conclusion. Thanks for sticking with me, and enjoy the final part.

_A sigh._

As a father, it was my obligation to keep my children safe, especially my baby girl. It was a responsibility that I was sorely underperforming at.

_The rustle of clothes._

As a young boy, when I was being raised on the OtherSide in Kansas, my father had shown me nothing about being a father or a man. To give the man credit though, my father had died shortly after my fifth birthday. My mother had never remarried, and ten years later she passed away. I joined the Traveling Balloons, where I got sucked into a tornado that landed me in the OZ.

_The sound of skin on a scruffy chin._

I shook my head and drew away from memory road. Distracting myself from my original thought was not a good thing. It was my responsibility to care for my baby daughter, and now she lay on the brink of death, disregarding how good of a father my father was. I had failed in my responsibility to my daughter. It wasn't the first time I had failed her.

_A strangled sob._

There were so many things that I could have done to prevent what had happened to her. I would have been a fool not to see where the first fault originated. When the witch had been released, that was the beginning of such horror and chaos. If only I had seen the signs. If only I had figured it out that my eldest daughter had been possessed by an evil witch. If only…

_The opening and closing of a door._

Glancing up, I watched as Wyatt Cain slumped across the room. He was unkempt, with clothes in disarray and a face near-full of scruff. I had told him several hours ago to rest; to try and get some sleep. But he waved me off, simply deciding to slump down further into his chair and tighten his grip on my daughter's hand.

_A cough._

"She wouldn't like it if you got sick waiting for her to get better. And the healers wouldn't like having someone sick in her room all the time." He looked up at me incredulously for a few seconds before replying.

"If you're that worried about it, I can talk to Raw." I shake my head in the negative and slide back in my chair. "No really, your majesty."

"Mr. Cain, that's unnecessary."

_An awkward silence._

I've slowly come to the conclusion that this man loves my daughter. He's been through so much with her, and for her; more than I have.

_The rustle of clothes._

It is no longer my main responsibility to take care of my baby girl. I realize this as I look upon the smile that she gives to him as soon as she becomes aware of him.

"Hey there, princess." Though cracked and dry, she replies,

"Hey there, tin man."

_A sigh._


End file.
